Decorative grill decal and method of use

ABSTRACT

A decorative decal for altering the aesthetics of a barbeque grill, with the decal comprising a flexible and heat resistant substrate having a visually discernible aesthetic element on its first surface and a smooth non-porous second surface, with the second surface suitable for attaching the substrate to the outer surface of the barbeque grill by use of static cling; and a method of use of the decal.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to a non-provisional application, U.S.Ser. No. 15/183,467, filed Jun. 15, 2016, entitled “Decorative GrillDecal And Method Of Use”, by James T. Sheridan, which is herebyincorporated by reference; and to a provisional application, U.S. Ser.No. 62/285,061, filed Oct. 19, 2015 and now expired, entitled “ProcessOf Making A Graphic Decal For A BBQ Grill, Decal Made Thereby, Kit OfComponents For The Use Of A Decal, Sticker, Or Film To Decorate OrChange The Cosmetic/Physical/Visual Appearance Of A BBQ Grill (Charcoal,Propane, LP Gas, Electric, Etc.)”, by James T. Sheridan, which is herebyincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of outdoor cookingappliances, namely, barbeque grills, and more particularly to decorativedecals adapted for changing the aesthetic appearance of barbeque grills.

Barbecue grills are common sights across America, especially during thesummer months, but even year round. Designed to cook with an open flame,barbeque grills must be used outdoors to prevent harmful smoke and othertoxins from entering indoor living spaces, and are often left outdoorseven when not in use, thus being exposed to environmental elements.These include weather related elements (sunlight, heat, cold, rain,snow, hail, sleet, etc.), animal related elements (bird and insectexcrement, etc.), and plant related elements (sap, pitch, leaves, etc.).As a result, barbeque grills are typically constructed of metal, such asstainless steel or aluminum, in order to withstand these environmentalelements, as well as the heat generated during operation, which can beas much as 600 degrees Fahrenheit or even higher.

While some manufacturers provide different color treatments for theirbarbeque grills, most barbeque grills have a very similar aestheticappearance to each other, even across models, makes, and brands.Individuals, however, often desire to personalize their possessions, andbarbeque grills are no exception. There is a lack in the industry ofeasy decorative means for changing the aesthetics of a barbeque grill.

It is therefore shown that there is a need for a means for altering theaesthetics of a barbeque grill.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a decorativedecal suitable for being affixed to the outer surface of a barbequegrill.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a decorativedecal having a visually discernible aesthetic element.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide adecorative decal being suitable to withstand the heat of operation ofthe barbeque grill.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide adecorative decal being suitable to withstand the environmental elementsto which a barbeque grill is typically exposed.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a methodfor using the decorative decal of the present invention.

Other objects of the present invention will be readily apparent from thedescription that follows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a decorative decal having a visuallydiscernible aesthetic element on one side and a smooth, non-poroussurface on the other side. The visually discernible aesthetic element isany aesthetically pleasing representation of graphics, designs, and/ortext. The decal is applied to the outer surface of a barbeque grill,including but not limited to the grill hood and/or the grill doors, andretained thereon by the static cling. The decal itself is comprised ofmultiple layers, with a flexible heat resistant substrate having a coreand layers on the outer surface of the substrate for receiving ink andfor over-laying the printed image.

The present invention also discloses a method of use of the decal,including some or all of the steps of obtaining a decorative decal asdescribed above; cleaning the outer surface of the barbeque grill inpreparation for applying the decorative decal thereto; removing one ormore handles (if any) from the barbeque grill; removing a temperaturegauge (if any) from the barbeque grill; placing the decorative decalonto the outer surface of the barbeque grill such that the decal'ssmooth, non-porous surface is in direct contact with the outer surfaceof the barbeque grill and retains the decal thereupon; re-attaching theone or more handles (if any) to the barbeque grill; and re-attaching thetemperature gauge (if any) to the barbeque grill. Multiple decorativedecals may be used in the foregoing method to achieve the desiredalteration of the aesthetics of the barbeque grill. In an alternativeembodiment, the decal may have an adhesive on the side facing the grill,whereby the decal is retained onto the grill by said adhesive.

Other features and advantages of the decorative decal and method of thepresent invention are described below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical barbeque grill together with aplurality of decals, with arrows indicating where the decals will beplaced onto the surface of the barbeque grill.

FIG. 2 depicts a grill hood decal and two grill door decals. Thevisually discernible aesthetic elements in this figure comprisephoto-realistic scenes from nature.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a barbeque grill with a decal affixed tothe grill hood and a pair of decals affixed to the grill doors. Thevisually discernible aesthetic elements in this figure comprisesports-themed images, including graphics and text.

FIG. 4A is a partial exploded view of the decal of the presentinvention, with the various layers comprising the substrate shownseparated from each other.

FIG. 4B is a partial perspective view of the decal depicted in FIG. 4A,with the various layers comprising the substrate shown affixed to eachother.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart depicting one embodiment of the method of use ofthe decal, whereby the grill hood is cleaned prior to the decal beingplaced onto the grill.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart depicting another embodiment of the method of useof the decal, whereby the grill handles and temperature gauge areremoved from the grill, the grill hood is cleaned prior to the decalbeing placed onto the grill, then grill handles and temperature gaugeare reattached to the grill after the decal is placed onto the grill.

FIGS. 7A through 7G depict the method disclosed in FIG. 6. FIG. 7Adepicts Step A (obtain a decal); FIG. 7B depicts Step A2 (remove thegrill handle); FIG. 7C depicts Step A3 (remove the grill temperaturegauge); FIG. 7D depicts Step A1 (clean the grill); FIG. 7E depicts StepA2 (apply the decal to the grill); FIG. 7F depicts Step B2 (reattach thegrill handle); and FIG. 7G depicts Step B3 (reattach the grilltemperature gauge).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a decorative decal 1 useful for alteringthe aesthetics of a typical barbeque grill 400, as well as a method foruse of the decal 1. The barbeque grill 400 may have a hood 412, one ormore doors 414, one or more handles 416 on the hood 412, one or morehandles 416 on each door 414, and a temperature gauge 418. See FIGS. 1and 3. Other objects that have surfaces that can become very hot, suchas wood stoves, boilers, water heaters, and the like, can also havetheir aesthetics altered using the decal 1 of the present invention.

The decal 1 of the present invention comprises at least a substrate 100.See FIGS. 4A and 4B. The substrate 100 must be substantially flexibleand resistant to heat up to at least 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Inalternative embodiments the substrate 100 must be resistant to heat upto at least 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The substrate 100 has a firstsurface 110 and a second surface 120. A visually discernible aestheticelement 112 is on the first surface 110. The second surface 120 of thesubstrate 100 is smooth and non-porous such that when the decal 1 isplaced onto the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill 400 such thatthe second surface 120 of the substrate 100 is in direct contacttherewith, the decal 1 adheres thereto by cohesive forces that existbetween the smooth non-porous second surface 120 of the substrate 100and the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill 400, a phenomenoncommonly known as “static cling”. The decal 1 is placed onto the outersurface 410 of the barbeque grill 400 such that the second surface 120of the substrate 100 is in contact with the outer surface 410 of thebarbeque grill 400, with the first surface 110 of the substrate 100facing outward from the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill 400. Dueto the use of “static cling” to retain the decal 1 onto the barbequegrill 400, the decal 1 can be easily removed from or repositioned ontothe barbeque grill 400. In an alternative embodiment, the decal 1 mayhave an adhesive layered onto the second surface 120 of the substrate100, said adhesive being suitable for attaching the substrate 100 to theouter surface 410 of the barbeque grill 400.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substrate 100comprises a core 130 located between its first and second surfaces110,120. See FIGS. 4A and 4B. The core 130 of the substrate 100 may becomprised of polyimide, vinyl, PTFE, PVC, polyester, or flexiblealuminum sheeting, such as XF-803® aluminum label material made byPolyonics, Inc. Other materials may also be used, provided they aresufficiently flexible and sufficiently heat resistant, and can bear avisually discernible aesthetic element 112 on the first surface 110 andis smooth and non-porous on the second surface 120.

The visually discernible aesthetic element 112 of the decal 1 may becomprised of any design or image, or multiple images, as desired. SeeFIG. 2. It may include graphical images or textual images or both. Theimages may comprise sports memorabilia images, nature scenes, abstractart, sporting images, camouflage, and lifestyle images, among others.However, the visually discernible aesthetic element 112 is not intendedto merely convey information, such as instructions for the use of thegrill 400 or warnings or warranty information or the like. The visuallydiscernible aesthetic element 112 may be created using full color (CMYK)printing or other technologies known in the art. In the preferredembodiment the following types of ink are used: Latex Inks, SolventInks, UV Inks, Solvent UV Inks, Eco Solvent Inks, Screen Print Inks, andDye Sublimation Inks.

In the embodiment where an adhesive is used, the adhesive may besilicone, acrylic, or a thermoset/elastomeric compound, or any otherheat resistant and weather resistant adhesive suitable for bonding thedecal 1 to the barbeque grill 400. In one variant of this embodiment thedecal 1 further comprises a removable backing placed over the adhesive.The backing may be made of coated paper or any other suitable materialthat permits the backing to adhere to the adhesive and also to beremoved from the adhesive. When in place the backing prevents theadhesive from adhering to a surface. When the backing is removed fromthe decal 1 the adhesive is exposed and the decal 1 can be placed ontothe outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill 400 and affixed thereto.

The decal 1 may be die-cut to any desired shape and size. The shape ofthe decal 1 may be regular, such as square, rectangular, circular, oval,etc., or irregularly shaped, such as a cloud outline, a football helmet,or any other desired shape. The size of the decal 1 must be sufficientto cover at least ten percent of the outer surface 410 of the barbequegrill 400. In another embodiment the decal 1 must be able to cover atleast twenty-five percent of the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill400, and in yet another embodiment the decal 1 must be able to cover atleast fifty percent of the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill 400.

In yet other embodiments, where the barbeque grill 400 has a hood 412,the decal 1 must be able to cover at least ten percent, twenty-fivepercent, or fifty percent of the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grillhood 412, respectively. In yet still other embodiments with a where thebarbeque grill 400 has one or more doors 414, the decal 1 must be ableto cover at least ten percent, twenty-five percent, or fifty percent ofthe outer surface 410 of each of the barbeque grill's doors 414,respectively. In yet still other embodiments, the minimum coverage areaas described above can be achieved with a plurality of decals 1.

In one preferred embodiment the first surface 110 of the substrate 100of the decal 1 comprises a printable opaque layer 114. See FIG. 4A. Thevisually discernible aesthetic element 112 is printed onto this opaquelayer 114. This layer provides a medium for accepting the ink and forrendering the image sharp, whatever the substrate 100 of the decal 1.Typically, the printable opaque is white, to better set off the ink.Suppliers of the substrate 100 may provide various differentconfigurations of the printable opaque layer.

In another preferred embodiment the decal 1 further comprises anover-laminate 200. See FIG. 4A. The over-laminate 200 is placed onto thefirst surface 110 of the substrate 100 over the visually discernibleaesthetic element 112, and affixed thereto. The over-laminate 200 doesnot substantially obscure the visually discernible aesthetic element112, is substantially flexible, and is resistant to environmentalconditions, such as cold, rain, snow, ice, hail, ultraviolet radiation,cleaning solutions, and insect and bird excrement. Examples of suitableover-laminates 200 are clear film coatings, transparent protectivebarriers, and the like.

The decorative decal 1 as described above will not fail when exposed tothe repeated heating and subsequent cooling of the barbeque grill 400during normal operations, nor will it fail when exposed to environmentalelements or cleaning regimens. That is, it will remain affixed to thebarbeque grill and will experience no significant fading, cracking,peeling, or other blemishes during ordinary use over its intendedlifespan.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the decorative decal 1 asdescribed above is included in a complete consumer kit. In addition tothe decal 1, the kit includes one or more grill inserts. Each grillinsert is suitably adapted to replace the grill's 400 temperature gauge418 and/or the manufacturer's name plate, thereby allowing for anunobstructed presentation of the decal 1 for a more aestheticallypleasing effect. The grill inserts are made of a heat resistantmaterial, such as aluminum or stainless steel. They may be friction fitinto the apertures left by the removal of the temperature gauge 418and/or name plate, or they may be attached by the use of fasteners.Alternatively, they may comprise circumferential channels which engagewith the interior edges of the apertures, thereby retaining the grillinserts in place. Heat resistant adhesives may also be used; in suchcase, the grill inserts may be placed over, rather than within, theapertures.

The consumer kit may also include a grill cleaning solution, such asalcohol, and a applicator for applying the grill cleaning solution. Theapplicator may be a brush, a sponge, a cloth, a spray bottle, or anyother suitable device. The kit may also include a smoothing implement,used to ensure a smooth application of the decal 1 onto the grill 400.The smoothing implement is moved over the surface of the decal 1 oncethe decal 1 is applied to the grill 400, to smooth out any air bubblesthat might have formed between the decal 1 and the grill surface 410. Adecal cleaning solution may also be included, for removing environmentaldebris that accumulates on the decal 1 over time. An applicator forapplying the decal cleaning solution, similar to the applicator for thegrill cleaning solution as described above, may also be included in thekit. Finally, the kit may include a carrying pouch or other suitablecontainer for conveniently retaining all of the kit elements together.

The present invention also contemplates a method of use of the decal 1described herein. In its most basic form, the method comprises thefollowing steps:

A. obtain a decorative decal 1 as described above; and

B. place the decorative decal 1 onto the outer surface 410 of thebarbeque grill 400 such that the second surface 120 of the substrate 100is in direct contact with the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill400, thereby retaining the decal 1 thereupon by “static cling”.

In this embodiment, step A is performed before step B.

In one variation of this method, where the barbeque grill 400 comprisesone or more handles 416, the following steps are performed:

A. obtain a decorative decal 1 as described above;

A2. remove the one or more handles 416 from the barbeque grill 400;

B. place the decorative decal 1 onto the outer surface 410 of thebarbeque grill 400 such that the second surface 120 of the substrate 100is in direct contact with the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill400, thereby retaining the decal 1 thereupon by “static cling”; and

B2. re-attach the one or more handles 416 to the barbeque grill 400.

In this variation, step A is performed before step B, step A2 isperformed in any order relative to step A and before step B, and step B2is performed after step A, step A2, and step B.

In another variation of this method, where the barbeque grill 400comprises a temperature gauge 418, the following steps are performed:

A. obtain a decorative decal 1 as described above;

A3. remove the temperature gauge 418 from the barbeque grill 400;

B. place the decorative decal 1 onto the outer surface 410 of thebarbeque grill 400 such that the second surface 120 of the substrate 100is in direct contact with the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill400, thereby retaining the decal 1 thereupon by “static cling”; and

B3. re-attach the temperature gauge 418 to the barbeque grill 400.

In this variation, step A is performed before step B, step A3 isperformed in any order relative to step A and before step B, and step B3is performed after step A, step A3, and step B.

In yet another variation of this method, the following steps areperformed:

A. obtain a decorative decal 1 as described above;

A1. clean the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill 400 in preparationfor applying the decorative decal 1 thereto; and

B. place the decorative decal 1 onto the outer surface 410 of thebarbeque grill 400 such that the second surface 120 of the substrate 100is in direct contact with the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill400, thereby retaining the decal 1 thereupon by “static cling”.

In this variation, step A is performed before step B, and step A1 isperformed in any order relative to step A and before step B. An alcoholsolution may be used to clean the outer surface 410 of the barbequegrill 400 in step A1, or other suitable solutions known in the art maybe used.

In yet still another variation of this method, the following steps areperformed:

A. obtain a decorative decal 1 as described above;

B. place the decorative decal 1 onto the outer surface 410 of thebarbeque grill 400 such that the second surface 120 of the substrate 100is in direct contact with the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill400, thereby retaining the decal 1 thereupon by “static cling”.

In this variation, step A is performed before step B.

In yet still another variation of this method, the following steps areperformed:

A. obtain a decorative decal 1 as described above;

A1. clean the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill 400 in preparationfor applying the decorative decal 1 thereto;

B. place the decorative decal 1 onto the outer surface 410 of thebarbeque grill 400 such that the second surface 120 of the substrate 100is in direct contact with the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill400, thereby retaining the decal 1 thereupon by “static cling”. See FIG.5.

In this variation, step A is performed before step B and step A1 isperformed in any order relative to step A and before step B.

In yet still another variation of this method, where an adhesive is usedand where the decal 1 incorporates a protective backing on the secondsurface 120 of the substrate 100, the following steps are performed:

A. obtain a decorative decal 1 as described above;

B1. remove the backing from the decal 1; and

B. place the decorative decal 1 onto the outer surface 410 of thebarbeque grill 400 such that the adhesive is in contact with the outersurface 410 of the barbeque grill 400 and retains the decal 1 thereupon.

In this variation, step A is performed before step B, and step B1 isperformed after step A and before step B.

In the preferred embodiment of the method, the following steps areperformed:

A. obtain a decorative decal 1 as described above;

A1. clean the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill 400 in preparationfor applying the decorative decal 1 thereto;

A2. remove the one or more handles 416 from the barbeque grill 400;

A3. remove the temperature gauge 418 from the barbeque grill 400;

B. place the decorative decal 1 onto the outer surface 410 of thebarbeque grill 400 such that the second surface 120 of the substrate 100is in direct contact with the outer surface 410 of the barbeque grill400, thereby retaining the decal 1 thereupon by “static cling”;

B2. re-attach the one or more handles 416 to the barbeque grill 400; and

B3. re-attach the temperature gauge 418 to the barbeque grill 400.

In this embodiment, step A is performed before step B, step A1 isperformed in any order relative to step A and before step B, step A2 isperformed in any order relative to step A and before step B, step A3 isperformed in any order relative to step A and before step B, step B2 isperformed in any order relative to step B3, and steps B2 and B3 areperformed after steps A, A2, A3, and B. See FIGS. 6 and 7A through 7H.

In embodiments of the method where the barbeque grill 400 comprises ahood 412, the decorative decal 1 may be placed onto the outer surface410 of the grill's hood 412 in step B. In embodiments of the methodwhere the barbeque grill 400 comprises one or more doors 414, thedecorative decal 1 may be placed onto the outer surface 410 of thegrill's one or more doors 414 in step B.

In any of the embodiments and variants of the method described above, aplurality of decorative decals 1 may be used. In such case, step A isrepeated for each of the decals 1 and step B is repeated for each of thedecals 1. Each iteration step A is performed before each iteration ofstep B.

What has been described and illustrated herein is a preferred embodimentof the decorative decal 1 and the method of use of the presentinvention, along with some it its variations. The terms, descriptions,and figures used herein are set forth by way of illustration only andare not meant as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognizethat many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of theinvention in which all terms are meant in their broadest, reasonablesense unless otherwise indicated. Other embodiments not specifically setforth herein are therefore also within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:
 1. A decorative decal for altering the aesthetics of a barbequegrill, said decorative decal comprising a substrate, said substratebeing substantially flexible and resistant to heat up to at least 200degrees Fahrenheit, said substrate comprising a core having a firstsurface and a second surface, with said first surface having a visuallydiscernible aesthetic element layered thereon, and said second surfacebeing smooth and non-porous, such that when said second surface isplaced directly onto a portion of an outer surface of the barbeque grillcohesive forces between the smooth non-porous second surface of thedecorative decal and said portion of the outer surface of the barbequegrill cause said decorative decal to cling to said portion of the outersurface of the barbeque grill, whereby said decorative decal is suitablyconfigured to be placed onto said outer surface of the barbeque grillsuch that the second surface of the core of the substrate is in directcontact with said outer surface of the barbeque grill and the decorativedecal is retained thereupon.
 2. The decorative decal of claim 1 whereinthe core of the substrate is comprised of one of the group of polyimide,vinyl, polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), and flexible aluminum sheeting. 3.The decorative decal of claim 1 further comprising an over-laminate,said over-laminate being placed onto the first surface of the core ofthe substrate over the visually discernible aesthetic element andaffixed thereto, whereby said over-laminate does not substantiallyobscure the visually discernible aesthetic element and the over-laminateis resistant to cold, rain, snow, ice, hail, ultraviolet radiation,cleaning solutions, and insect and bird excrement.
 4. The decorativedecal of claim 1 wherein the visually discernible aesthetic element iscreated using full color printing.
 5. The decorative decal of claim 1wherein the visually discernible aesthetic element comprises graphicimages.
 6. The decorative decal of claim 1 wherein the visuallydiscernible aesthetic element comprises text.
 7. The decorative decal ofclaim 1 further wherein the first surface of the core of the substratehas layered thereon a printable opaque layer, whereby the visuallydiscernible aesthetic element is printed onto said layer.
 8. Thedecorative decal of claim 1 wherein the decorative decal is die-cut tothe desired size and shape.
 9. The decorative decal of claim 1 whereinthe decorative decal is irregularly shaped.
 10. The decorative decal ofclaim 1 wherein the decorative decal may be combined with one or moreadditional decorative decals all having the same characteristics as saiddecorative decal.
 11. The decorative decal of claim 1 wherein thesubstrate is resistant to heat up to at least 500 degrees Fahrenheit.12. The decorative decal of claim 1 wherein the visually discernibleaesthetic element comprises one or more images from the one of the groupof sports memorabilia images, nature scenes, abstract art, sportingimages, camouflage, and lifestyle images.
 13. The decorative decal ofclaim 1 wherein the barbeque grill comprises a hood, and the decorativedecal is placed onto a portion of an outer surface of the barbeque grillhood.
 14. The decorative decal of claim 1 wherein the barbeque grillcomprises a door, and the decorative decal is placed onto a portion ofan outer surface of the barbeque grill door.
 15. The decorative decal ofclaim 1 further comprising an over-laminate; wherein the core of thesubstrate is constructed out of one of the group of polyimide, vinyl,polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), and aluminum; the first surface of thecore of the substrate has placed thereon a printable opaque layer,whereby the visually discernible aesthetic element is printed onto saidlayer using full color printing; the over-laminate is placed over theprintable layer and affixed thereto and does not substantially obscurethe visually discernible aesthetic element; the over-laminate isresistant to cold, rain, snow, ice, hail, ultraviolet radiation,cleaning solutions, and insect and bird excrement; and the decorativedecal is die-cut to the desired size and shape to cover at least aportion of the outer surface of the barbeque grill.